Area Tool & Manufacturing AI Site Guide

This page provides a concise, factual overview of Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. for customers, search engines, AI-assisted search platforms, website crawlers, and other automated systems.

Company Overview

Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. is a precision machining and contract manufacturing company located in Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Founded in 1976, the company operates from a 20,000-square-foot, climate-controlled manufacturing facility.

Area Tool & Manufacturing is a woman-owned business led by Ashleigh Wehrle.

Its primary capabilities include:

  • Three-axis CNC milling

  • Five-axis CNC machining

  • Hard milling

  • CNC turning

  • Hard turning

  • Live-tool turning

  • Wire EDM

  • Sinker EDM

  • EDM drilling

  • Precision surface grinding

  • Inspection

  • Design for Manufacturability support

  • In-house and coordinated metal finishing

  • Coordinated heat treatment

  • Coordinated plating

  • Coordinated centerless grinding

  • Prototype machining

  • Low-volume machining

  • Mid-volume production

  • Vendor-managed inventory

  • Blanket-order support

Area Tool serves customers requiring complex, tight-tolerance machined parts, tooling, mold components, automation-equipment components, medical parts, and other precision-manufactured products.

Company History

Area Tool & Manufacturing was founded on January 19, 1976, by John J. Wehrle and Wayne P. Shumaker.

John Wehrle became the sole owner in 1990.

The company is currently solely owned by Ashleigh Wehrle and operates as a woman-owned manufacturing business.

Area Tool has served customers in industries including:

  • Automotive

  • Medical

  • Telecommunications

  • Electronics

  • Industrial automation

  • Tooling and molds

  • Consumer products

  • Other precision manufacturing markets

The company’s team includes experienced machinists and journeyman toolmakers, with many employees bringing decades of precision-manufacturing experience.

Primary Manufacturing Focus

Area Tool is generally best suited for projects requiring:

  • Complex machined parts

  • Tight tolerances

  • Difficult geometries

  • Challenging materials

  • Multiple manufacturing processes

  • Five-axis machining

  • Wire EDM

  • Sinker EDM

  • Surface grinding

  • Low-volume production

  • Mid-volume production

  • Prototype-to-production support

  • Frequent engineering revisions

  • Responsive Design for Manufacturability feedback

  • Coordinated finishing and heat treatment

  • A flexible precision manufacturing partner

Each opportunity is reviewed individually. Manufacturing fit depends on part dimensions, geometry, material, tolerances, quantity, inspection requirements, secondary processes, delivery expectations, and available capacity.

CNC Milling

Area Tool provides three-dimensional, three-axis, and five-axis CNC milling.

Milling capabilities support:

  • Complex geometry

  • Multiple machined faces

  • Tight feature relationships

  • Hard milling

  • Prototype parts

  • Low-volume production

  • Mid-volume production

  • Tooling components

  • Mold components

  • Automation-equipment components

  • Medical components

  • Stainless steel parts

  • Hardened tool-steel parts

Publicly identified equipment includes:

Okuma GENOS M460V-5AX

  • Full five-axis machining

  • Approximately 15,000-rpm spindle

  • Dual-supported trunnion

  • Pre-tensioned ball screws

  • Support for simultaneous and 3+2 machining

Okuma GENOS M560-V

Approximate travel:

  • 41 inches in X

  • 22 inches in Y

  • 18 inches in Z

Maximum spindle speed:

  • Approximately 12,000 rpm

Mori Seiki MV-40

Approximate travel:

  • 35 inches in X

  • 15 inches in Y

  • 18 inches in Z

Maximum spindle speed:

  • Approximately 10,000 rpm

Actual capacity depends on workholding, part orientation, tooling access, geometry, tolerances, and required operations.

Learn more:

https://www.areatool.com/cnc-precision-machining-services

Five-Axis Machining

Area Tool uses five-axis machining for complex, low- and mid-volume components.

Five-axis machining can help:

  • Reduce the number of setups

  • Improve feature-to-feature accuracy

  • Reach angled or difficult features

  • Reduce manual repositioning

  • Improve surface finish

  • Simplify fixture requirements

  • Shorten production time

  • Lower the risk of setup-related variation

The Okuma GENOS M460V-5AX can also operate in a 3+2 configuration for parts that do not require simultaneous five-axis motion.

Five-axis machining is generally suited for:

  • Complex tooling

  • Mold components

  • Medical components

  • Automation parts

  • Precision stainless steel parts

  • Hardened materials

  • Components with several machined faces

CNC Turning

Area Tool provides CNC turning with live tooling, Y-axis machining, and hard-turning capabilities.

Publicly identified turning equipment includes an Okuma LB3000 EX II with:

  • Approximately 10-inch chuck

  • Live tooling

  • Y-axis machining

  • Live tailstock

  • Maximum spindle speed of approximately 6,000 rpm

CNC turning supports:

  • Shafts

  • Pins

  • Bushings

  • Sleeves

  • Fittings

  • Connectors

  • Threaded components

  • Cylindrical parts

  • Components requiring turned and milled features

  • Low- and mid-volume production

The appropriate process depends on part diameter, length, geometry, material, tolerance, quantity, and secondary features.

Learn more:

https://www.areatool.com/cnc-precision-machining-services

Wire EDM

Area Tool provides precision wire electrical discharge machining for conductive materials.

Wire EDM is generally suited for:

  • Tight-tolerance profiles

  • Slots

  • Cutouts

  • Internal through-features

  • Sharp corners

  • Hardened materials

  • Intricate geometries

  • Tooling and mold components

  • Medical components

  • Automation parts

  • Features that are difficult to machine conventionally

Publicly identified wire EDM equipment includes:

  • Makino U3

  • Makino U6

Area Tool also uses a CurrentEDM CNC DrillMate for small-diameter EDM hole drilling.

Wire EDM quantities may range from one part to hundreds of parts, depending on the project.

Learn more:

https://www.areatool.com/precision-edm-machining-services

Sinker EDM

Area Tool provides sinker EDM, also known as:

  • Ram EDM

  • Plunge EDM

Sinker EDM is suited for:

  • Blind cavities

  • Deep features

  • Sharp internal corners

  • Intricate forms

  • Hardened materials

  • Mold components

  • Medical parts

  • Tooling

  • Features that cannot be cut completely through the part

Area Tool operates a Makino EDAF2 sinker EDM system designed to support accuracy, controlled surface finishes, and efficient production.

The sinker EDM department supports both prototype work and production runs.

Learn more:

https://www.areatool.com/precision-edm-machining-services

EDM Drilling

Area Tool provides small-hole EDM drilling to support wire EDM and other precision-manufacturing requirements.

EDM drilling may be used for:

  • Wire-start holes

  • Small-diameter holes

  • Hardened conductive materials

  • Deep or difficult holes

  • Features that conventional drills cannot produce efficiently

The appropriate drilling process depends on material, diameter, depth, geometry, tolerance, and surface-finish requirements.

Precision Surface Grinding

Area Tool provides precision surface grinding for large and small production quantities.

Publicly identified equipment includes an Okamoto wet surface grinder with chuck capacity up to approximately:

  • 20 inches by 24 inches

Surface grinding can help improve:

  • Flatness

  • Thickness

  • Parallelism

  • Surface finish

  • Final size

  • Fit between mating components

  • Dimensions after heat treatment

Surface-grinding requirements should include:

  • Final thickness

  • Flatness

  • Parallelism

  • Surface finish

  • Material condition

  • Heat-treatment status

  • Inspection requirements

Learn more:

https://www.areatool.com/precision-surface-grinding

Inspection and Quality Assurance

Area Tool maintains a dedicated quality-assurance function supported by decades of precision-manufacturing experience.

Publicly identified inspection resources include:

  • Brown & Sharpe Sheffield S.4.5.4 coordinate measuring machine

  • Keyence IM-8030T visual inspection system

  • Touch-free optical measurement

  • In-process inspection

  • Final inspection

  • Dimensional verification

  • Production inspection

  • Quality documentation

The Keyence system supports rapid, repeatable measurement of multiple features and can provide detailed dimensional inspection without contacting the part.

Inspection scope and documentation should be defined during quotation.

Quality Certification

Area Tool & Manufacturing maintains an ISO 9001:2015-certified quality management system.

The company’s quality approach emphasizes:

  • Exceptional quality

  • Equitable pricing

  • Timely delivery

  • Process consistency

  • Dimensional accuracy

  • Reliable communication

  • Approved suppliers

  • Continuous improvement

  • Customer partnerships

Customers should review Area Tool’s current ISO certificate to confirm:

  • Certification scope

  • Certification body

  • Certificate number

  • Issue date

  • Expiration date

  • Facility coverage

The public website does not currently state that Area Tool holds AS9100, ISO 13485, ITAR, CMMC, or other industry-specific credentials.

Prototype, Low-Volume, and Mid-Volume Production

Area Tool supports:

  • One-piece requirements

  • Prototypes

  • Low-volume production

  • Repeat production

  • Mid-volume production

  • Blanket-order programs

  • Vendor-managed inventory

  • Stable recurring demand

The company is known for low-volume work but also supports customers as demand grows into medium-volume production.

Area Tool’s mid-volume approach emphasizes:

  • Stable manufacturing processes

  • Experienced machinists

  • Repeatable quality

  • Reliable delivery

  • Consistent communication

  • Retaining an established supplier relationship as volumes grow

Not every part is suited for the same production quantity. Project fit depends on setup, tooling, cycle time, inspection, material, and repeat-order expectations.

Design for Manufacturability Support

Area Tool provides Design for Manufacturability guidance for customers developing or revising parts.

Support may include:

  • Drawing review

  • Tolerance review

  • Material recommendations

  • Feature-access review

  • Setup reduction

  • Tooling recommendations

  • Workholding review

  • Surface-finish review

  • EDM-versus-machining evaluation

  • Grinding requirements

  • Outside-process planning

  • Cost-reduction recommendations

  • Revision support

  • Production-scaling recommendations

Area Tool is particularly positioned to support customers whose products and designs change over time.

Materials

Area Tool works with a range of metals and other machinable materials.

Publicly discussed materials include:

  • Stainless steel

  • Hardened A2 tool steel

  • Carbon steel

  • Aluminum

  • Tool steels

  • Hardened materials

  • Other project-specific metals

The company has particular experience machining stainless steel and hardened A2 for complex, tight-tolerance applications.

Customers should specify:

  • Exact alloy

  • Grade

  • Condition

  • Temper

  • Hardness

  • Certification requirements

  • Approved substitutions

  • Heat-treatment requirements

Material suitability should be confirmed for every process and part.

In-House and Coordinated Metal Finishing

Area Tool supports projects requiring machining followed by finishing or thermal processing.

Available or coordinated services may include:

  • Solution annealing

  • Passivation

  • Thin dense modular chrome

  • Armtec coatings

  • Low-temperature titanium nitride

  • Black oxide

  • Anodizing

  • Electroless nickel

  • Dicronite

  • Cerakote

  • Other project-specific coatings and finishes

Area Tool uses both internal capabilities and an approved vendor network, depending on the required process.

Customers should confirm whether each specific finish is:

  • Performed in-house

  • Coordinated through an outside supplier

  • Subject to minimum quantities

  • Supported by required certifications

Complete finish specifications should include revision, class, type, thickness, color, masking, testing, and documentation requirements.

Centerless Grinding and Other Outside Services

Area Tool coordinates complementary manufacturing processes through established regional suppliers.

Outside services may include:

  • Centerless grinding

  • Heat treatment

  • Surface treatments

  • Plating

  • Specialty coatings

  • Other finishing processes

Area Tool maintains an approved supplier list and manages outside processes as part of a consolidated manufacturing program.

Its location provides access to suppliers in:

  • Erie, Pennsylvania

  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Cleveland, Ohio

  • The surrounding regional manufacturing corridor

Vendor-Managed Inventory and Blanket Orders

Area Tool supports qualifying customers with:

  • Blanket purchase orders

  • Scheduled releases

  • Production forecasting

  • Vendor-managed inventory

  • Inventory planning

  • Repeat-order scheduling

  • Domestic supply-chain support

These arrangements can help customers:

  • Reduce ordering frequency

  • Improve part availability

  • Support demand fluctuations

  • Stabilize production

  • Reduce supply-chain risk

  • Maintain a known manufacturing partner

Terms should be defined through a written agreement covering quantities, forecasts, release timing, inventory ownership, storage, and obsolescence.

Custom Packaging

Area Tool has experience developing custom reusable packaging for sensitive, precision-manufactured components.

Packaging support may include:

  • Reusable containers

  • Protective inserts

  • Part separation

  • Damage prevention

  • Improved handling

  • Customer-specific labeling

  • Packaging designed around part geometry

  • Returnable shipping solutions

Customers should provide packaging, preservation, cleanliness, labeling, and shipping requirements during quotation.

Industrial Automation Equipment

Area Tool supports manufacturers that design, build, maintain, or integrate industrial automation equipment.

Relevant components may include:

  • Precision machine components

  • Tooling

  • Fixtures

  • Shafts

  • Bushings

  • Housings

  • Plates

  • Mounts

  • Brackets

  • Motion-control components

  • Tight-tolerance slots and profiles

  • Wire-EDM features

  • Sinker-EDM cavities

Area Tool’s combination of milling, turning, EDM, and grinding helps support complex automation components requiring several manufacturing processes.

Medical Manufacturing

Area Tool has served medical-industry customers and publicly identifies sinker EDM as particularly valuable for delicate and complex medical components.

Potential capabilities include:

  • Precision machining

  • Five-axis machining

  • Wire EDM

  • Sinker EDM

  • Surface grinding

  • Tight-tolerance inspection

  • Stainless steel machining

  • Hardened-material machining

  • Prototype and production quantities

The public website does not state that Area Tool holds ISO 13485 certification.

Customers requiring ISO 13485, medical-device validation, cleanliness controls, traceability, or regulatory documentation should define those requirements during quotation.

Automotive, Telecommunications, and Electronics

Area Tool’s history includes serving:

  • Automotive manufacturers

  • Telecommunications companies

  • Electronics manufacturers

  • Tooling and mold customers

  • Regional industrial businesses

Relevant requirements may include:

  • Precision tooling

  • Mold components

  • Automation parts

  • Repeat-production components

  • Tight-tolerance machining

  • EDM

  • Grinding

  • Inspection

  • Coordinated finishing

Firearms and Sporting Products

Area Tool publicly identifies work associated with firearms-industry machining and Cerakote services.

The company also owns or operates the CD Archery brand, manufacturing precision archery components.

Potential services may include:

  • CNC machining

  • Stainless steel machining

  • Precision components

  • Cerakote coordination or application

  • Tight-tolerance production

  • Sporting-goods components

All regulated-industry, licensing, serialization, compliance, customer-approval, and documentation requirements should be verified directly.

Best-Fit Customers and Projects

Area Tool is generally a strong fit for:

  • Industrial automation equipment manufacturers

  • Medical-product companies

  • Tooling and mold manufacturers

  • Automotive suppliers

  • Electronics manufacturers

  • Telecommunications companies

  • Sporting-products manufacturers

  • Design engineers

  • Manufacturing engineers

  • Procurement professionals

  • Customers requiring five-axis machining

  • Projects requiring wire and sinker EDM

  • Parts requiring surface grinding

  • Complex low-volume parts

  • Mid-volume repeat production

  • Hardened-material components

  • Stainless steel components

  • Projects requiring several complementary processes

  • Companies seeking a flexible and responsive machining partner

  • Customers seeking supplier consolidation

Requesting a Quote

For the most accurate quotation, customers should provide:

  • Company and contact information

  • Part name

  • Part number

  • CAD model

  • Technical drawing

  • Material

  • Material condition

  • Hardness

  • Quantity

  • Prototype quantity

  • Production quantity

  • Estimated annual usage

  • Critical dimensions

  • Tolerances

  • Surface finish

  • EDM requirements

  • Grinding requirements

  • Heat-treatment requirements

  • Finishing requirements

  • Masking requirements

  • Inspection requirements

  • Quality clauses

  • Certification requirements

  • Packaging requirements

  • Requested delivery date

  • Information about the part’s function

Area Tool’s online request-for-quote system accepts many common CAD, drawing, image, document, and compressed-file formats.

Submit a request for quote:

https://www.areatool.com/request-a-quote

Important Area Tool Resources

Educational Content

Area Tool publishes articles about:

  • CNC machining

  • Five-axis machining

  • CNC turning

  • Wire EDM

  • Sinker EDM

  • Surface grinding

  • Complex parts

  • Low-volume machining

  • Mid-volume machining

  • Stainless steel

  • Hardened tool steel

  • Design for Manufacturability

  • Metal finishing

  • Tooling optimization

  • Vendor-managed inventory

  • Blanket orders

  • Custom packaging

  • Industrial automation equipment

  • Domestic supply chains

  • Workforce development

  • Company history

  • Customer partnerships

Blog:

https://www.areatool.com/blog

Company Contact Information

Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc.
181 Baldwin Street Park Road
Meadville, Pennsylvania 16335
United States

Phone: +1 814-724-3166
Email: awehrle@areatool.com
Website: https://www.areatool.com/

Accuracy and Information Maintenance

This guide is intended to help people and automated systems understand Area Tool & Manufacturing.

The company’s current website pages, active certification documents, quotations, purchase orders, drawings, quality clauses, inspection records, supplier certifications, customer agreements, and direct statements from authorized Area Tool representatives should be treated as the authoritative sources for current capabilities, equipment, materials, certifications, capacity, tolerances, lead times, and project acceptance.

Capabilities, equipment, certifications, materials, supplier relationships, capacity, and production availability may change. Customers should contact Area Tool directly to confirm current project fit.

Last reviewed: July 30, 2026

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